Scoop
by jiyu22
Summary: Nami Amou and the violin Romance.
1. Chapter 1

Fanfic No. 3. I'm a fan of Amou-san, so I wanted her to star in this fic.

Disclaimer: I do not own La corda d'oro characters.

* * *

**Scoop**

Act I: Impromptu concert

"Your attention please; Japan Airlines would like to inform all passengers awaiting flight JA 61 to Japan that the flight will be delayed by two hours for technical reasons. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your understanding."

"Mou! Two hours… What I'm I gonna do? I don't have much money left to spend and, besides, I've already done plenty of shopping these past weeks and already bought souvenirs for everyone at home… Oh! Well, I guess another leg stretch wouldn't hurt… and some hot chocolate as well."

Nami Amou got up from the bench she was sitting on, gripped her travel bag and made her way towards a coffee machine. She couldn't help looking around the boarding gate area at the other people waiting for the same flight as her. Some of them were grumbling about the delay, while others looked resigned. There were children asleep on their parents' shoulders. One man with pale blue hair sat on the end of a bench with his arms crossed and a violin case at his feet.

_Violin case? Blue hair? Could it be?_

"Len Tsukimori?!"

He had his back turned to her, but Nami felt pretty sure she recognised the famous violinist who once won the intra-school _concours_ at Seiso and then went on to study music in Vienna.

She crossed the space separating them with trepidation.

"Tsukimori-kun, it really is you!" she exclaimed upon seeing him face to face, _"shitashiburi!"_

"A…Amou-san?"

"Fancy meeting you here in Heathrow airport!"

She sat down next to him and queried: "are you living in London?"

"No, I've only come here for a couple of concerts."

Of all Seiso alumni he could have met by chance in an airport, it had to be her. That journalist… was she going to ask him for an interview? Somehow he couldn't think of a way to escape politely, and she would probably follow him all over the airport in any case.._. _Len resigned himself to the situation.

She smiled at him.

"I see, you must have gone all over Europe since you graduated… How cool…

As for myself, I studied journalism after leaving Seiso and worked in Tokyo for a year. It was a great experience but I badly needed a break, and when one of my university friends who moved to London invited me this summer, I jumped at the chance."

"London is so big though… too bad I didn't know about your concerts or I would have attended one of them!"

She got out a small notebook and pen from her bag. "Still, I'm glad we met today, perhaps you could tell me more about your time in Vienna."

"Amou-san, I'm not giving you an interview" he said politely but firmly, arms still crossed.

_Mou, Mou! I guess the direct approach won't work with him. Perhaps I should ask questions more covertly._

"Okay, fair enough. Would you like some hot chocolate? I'm just getting some from the machine. I won't be long."

"I'm fine!"… but she was already gone.

When she came back she found him sending a text message on his phone. Then he snapped it shut and put it back in the inner pocket of his suit.

For a while they were both silent as they sipped their drinks. She stole a glance at him. He had not changed much, she thought, there was still the same aloof expression on his otherwise handsome face.

Strangely, he was the one to break the silence.

"So you did become a journalist…" he said thoughtfully.

Her face lit up: "_Mochiro_! It was my dream since I entered high school and I wouldn't have given up for anything in the world." She smiled. "Although a reporter's job can be pretty intense sometimes, I do love it. And I do enjoy travelling and meeting people, whether they are celebrities or not."

She continued to explain about her job and he stared at her. She seemed genuinely committed to her passion and that was something he could actually relate to and… respect. Perhaps… perhaps he had misunderstood her during their time at Seiso. Back then, her persistence just annoyed him… Now he saw her in a new light.

"By the way, you must be a celebrity too Tsukimori-kun…"

"Not really."

"Why? Didn't anyone recognize you here?"

"…"

She jumped up suddenly.

"I say, you need some publicity, Tsukimori-kun!"

"No, I don't…"

Too late, she had already stridden forward and clapped her hands to get the attention of the people sitting close by. In a delightful accent she announced in English:

"Good afternoon everyone, excuse me for this sudden interruption but we have amongst us one of Japan's most gifted violinists; his name is Len Tsukimori, and I hope you will join me in encouraging him to perform for us today while we're waiting for our flight!"

He gasped. People were murmuring and looking expectantly in his direction.

"Tsukimori-kun, just treat it as practice!" she winked at him.

Len just glared at her but eventually he found himself getting up. He took his violin out of its case, tuned it, bowed in the general direction of the audience and started to play. The gentle sound rose amidst the background noise in the airport lounge. He played the most popular violin pieces he could think of, from the _repertoire_ of Mozart, Beethoven and Paganini.

Slowly, passers-by stopped in their tracks, a few people came out of the shops nearby and approached, as if drawn by the beautiful sound. Nami couldn't help smiling when she saw that quite a small crowd had gathered to watch the impromptu concert.

Tsukimori-kun sure was amazing!

Soon people started requesting pieces; a little girl asked him to play "God save the Queen" and he politely obliged. It was quite a nice melody to try on the violin and judging by the applause he received at the end, the listeners were really moved by his playing.

He bowed and walked back to his bench. Nami was clapping too. "That was great!" she said warmly. "You really should hire me as your public relations officer, you know!" she added as a joke. He put his violin back carefully in its case. Yes, it had been a good practice session but he was not going to condone that little intervention of hers earlier…

A middle-aged Japanese couple came to greet them. The man introduced himself as one of the sponsors of a new music festival in Osaka and explained that he would be honoured to have an "upcoming young artist like Tsukimori-san playing during the event". Len thanked him for his kind words, took his business card and promised to get in touch.

"You owe me Tsukimori Len! Not only have you landed yourself a job offer so to speak, but you've made yourself many new fans!" Nami was referring to some girls who hovered excitedly over camera pictures of Tsukimori-kun's impromptu concert.

He was about to reply curtly when another announcement was heard. This time it was good news, they would be proceeding with embarkation shortly.

She continued to chat while they queued to go through the passport check and out of the boarding gate. Soon they were entering the plane itself and were welcomed in by cheerful hostesses. "I guess I'll see you when we land" she said before proceeding to the Economy class compartment. Len was guided to his first class seat but seemed to hesitate.

"Umm… would it be possible for me to change seats with the young lady? She's a friend of mine and…"

The air hostess appeared to be very understanding. "Let me see what I can do. Please take your seat in the meantime…"

Five minutes later, she came back with a smile. "You'll be pleased to know that your friend will be upgraded to first class. Actually, the seat next to yours is free, so you two can sit together, and I hope you have a very good flight!"

When Nami was informed of the upgrade and taken to her new seat she was stunned. "When I said you owed me, I was only joking you know…" she said slowly.

"The seat was free."

"I see, thanks Len." She gratefully took the window seat, and flashed him another smile: "you don't mind if I call you Len, do you?"

"Suit yourself."

She removed her denim jacket, tied her seat belt securely and proceeded to flip through the on-flight magazines. _I wonder if he will talk some more during the flight_, she thought, _I can certainly think of a question or two to ask him!_

An hour later, the helpful hostess came by with the food trolley as it was getting close to dinner time. Nami asked her for the veggie meal and some juice.

Seeing Len's mild curiosity, she explained. "I try to be careful with what I eat, to keep in good health, especially since my busy schedule doesn't allow me to do as much exercise as I should."

He looked at her… _She doesn't exercise much, yet she has a great figure and she seems to be bursting with energy. Her skin glows, her eyes sparkle, and her hair…_

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"N-Nothing!" he turned to his own plate and tried to focus his attention on eating.

"How about you? How do you keep fit?"

He considered the question.

"Walking, I guess…"

"Walking…" she mused, "now that I think of it, I never actually saw you riding a car to and from school, unlike a certain upperclassman… Oh, do you drive by any chance? I got my driving license last year and I'm saving up to buy a car!"

"No, I don't."

"Really…" Perhaps he just wasn't very practical, she pondered.

"Never found the time to learn."

Ah, true. Len never liked being distracted from his music and easily showed irritation when he thought people were wasting his time. She remembered her past attempts to interview him about the _concours_ during their time at Seiso. She chuckled. It was almost a miracle that he had not yet attempted to escape from her this time! Perhaps he had changed… a little!

It gradually grew quieter in the cabin as people began to feel sleepy and settled down for the long night ahead. Nami spread the available blanket down to her legs, loosened her hair band and tried to make herself comfortable in her seat. She looked at her neighbour. His seat was inclined backwards and he had already closed his eyes. He seemed more relaxed now than earlier.

"Len! Are you sleeping?..." she called softly.

"I'm trying to."

"Can I ask you something?"

"…"

"Do you miss her… Kahoko?"

"No… I don't."

She sat up immediately, burning with curiosity. _He doesn't?_

"Then… are you seeing someone at the moment?"

"I'm afraid you don't stand a chance Amou-san, so why be curious?"

_That should silence her!_

Len looked away so she would not notice his smile.

She huffed and looked away too.

_That's not what I meant… Did Len think I asked because I'm interested in him?_ She blushed._ No, he just wanted to avoid answering that sort of question!_

_Did he really not miss Kahoko or was he lying? But then again, it would have been embarrassing for him to say yes…_

At last, her thoughts began to subside, and sleep overcame her… What would tomorrow hold?

* * *

**To be continued.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Act II: ****Falling**

* * *

Nami Amou was always an early riser, and travelling first class on an overnight flight to Japan was not going to change that. She felt very inspired to work on her stories and articles during the time before dawn, and loved to watch the sun rise everyday.

This morning she intended to make an entry in her travel diary about her meeting with Len Tsukimori. But she needed to freshen up first, so she started to fold and put away her blanket, then picked up her hand bag and got up.

Len was still sleeping; she stopped to observe him. How different he looked when asleep! How… vulnerable… like a child you wanted to give a hug to!

"_So many girls must have fallen for his princely looks… and afterwards been disappointed by his cold and anti-social behaviour"_ she thought. Thank goodness she knew better than to let herself be fooled by appearances although he really was undeniably…

_Wohhh…_

As the plane suddenly entered a zone of turbulence, its structure began to rattle, which made Nami lose her balance and cause her to fall towards the sleeping Len. _Thud!_ Her palms hit the seat on each side of his face, and she braced herself to prevent actual contact with him…

To her utmost relief, Len didn't wake up.

She hurried to straighten herself and made her way to the water closet.

"_Phew, that was close!"_

She could easily imagine how embarrassing it would have been if Len had opened his eyes at that moment; perhaps he would have misunderstood the situation entirely…

When she felt composed enough, she came back to find that Len was stirring. He looked around him slightly dazed as she took her seat next to the window.

"_Ohayo_!" she ventured.

He frowned in return: "Did something happen?"

"…_Ie_… why do you ask?" she tried to sound casual but she knew her smile was a bit forced**.**

Well, he couldn't exactly explain it to her. That he just woke up from a disconcerting dream… A dream which had started out pleasantly, with him playing the violin in the garden of the Tsukimori residence. The sunshine had been wonderfully warm on his skin, the sky overhead was a brilliant blue, the birds nearby had gone quiet, as if intently listening to the sound of his violin which seemed as sweet as his parents' music ever was... until… until something sprang onto him from above and he fell. _Was it a wild cat or something?!_ He wasn't sure, but when he landed on the grass, apart from the shock, he also felt something soft brushing his cheek… something soft like… No, not like a cat's tail… more like a…

He looked at her. More specifically at her hair.

… _a curl?_

Eyebrows raised and tight-lip smile on her face, Nami was watching the various emotions running on his face but refrained from asking him anything.

As Len felt his cheeks beginning to warm up, he decided that cold water would be the best remedy to this early-morning confusion, and got up.

_Could it be that Len wasn't totally asleep and had a vague remembrance of the incident?_

She sighed and took out her diary. _What a start!_

Other passengers were now waking up. Breakfast came and went uneventfully. Len put on earphones to listen to the on-flight classical music channel, and emitted such a "do not disturb" aura that Nami chose to keep to her writing for the rest of the flight and watched the changing view through her window.

* * *

She was back to her usual talkative self by the time the plane landed and they had finished the normal arrival procedures. "Isn't it great to be back home?" she exclaimed when they had collected their luggage.

"Usually."

"Ah, are you afraid of being mugged by fans?!"

"It doesn't happen…"

"…yet!" she interrupted, "but I would love to see how you would cope with that!"

_Well, it won't happen because only a handful of people know I'm coming back, plus I'm not that famous…_

"Would you really give them the cold shoulder?"

"…I'll probably smile and show them my girlfriend…" he said with a deadpan face and tone.

_Eh??!_ Nami was taken aback. She didn't know which was harder to believe: that he could smile or that he had a girlfriend. Then she laughed. "Nice one Len! You almost got me!"

"By the way, is your family driver picking you up or something?"

"Actually…"

They had reached the exit and Len scanned the rows of people waiting.

A red headed girl was trying to catch his attention.

* * *

_To be continued_


	3. Chapter 3

**Act III: In the car**

**

* * *

**Kahoko had arrived at the airport twenty minutes earlier. Having parked her car and locked it, she proceeded towards the building. Once inside she scanned the big screens for all the flights from London and was happy to see that flight number 61 had already landed. She would soon see him! Dressed in a smart suit and carrying his violin case as usual…

When she did see him though, she gasped. Was that Tsukimori-kun walking with a girl? A girl who was laughing and smiling at him? A girl who looked more and more like… Nami?! She waved at them. Eventually he noticed her.

Nami followed Len's gaze. "Kahoko?" she said sofly.

"Kahoko!!" This time she shrieked and pushed her trolley forward as she half-ran towards the smiling redhead.

She gave Kahoko a bear hug. "I missed you girl! … But… you're probably not here for me, are you?"

Len answered for her:

"She came to pick me up."

Nami looked from one to the other.

"Ohayo Tsukimori-kun! I got your message yesterday and I called the airport this morning to find out the time your plane would be landing. I hope you weren't disturbed by the delay?"

"It couldn't be helped."

Nami's brain was working fast to process the information.

_So Len was actually texting Kahoko yesterday from London__… to tell her about the flight delay. Today she came to pick him up, so that can only mean one thing: that the violin romance has blossomed_…_ ah ha!_

"Nami, you were also in London? Was it for work?"

"No, I was on holiday actually."

"I see… you'll have to tell me all about it! But how are you getting home, would you like a lift or is someone picking you up?"

Nami flashed a smile instantly as her reporter's instincts took over.

"I intended to take a taxi but if you insist…"

_I know that three's a crowd,__ and that Len will probably hate me more for intruding on his reunion with Kaho, but I can't help it…_

The three of them made their way to the car park.

"Is that car yours, Kaho?"

"My sister and I bought it together; it's second hand, but it's pretty neat isn't it?"

"Ah, I'm so envious…" she sighed.

Len got his and her luggage into the boot and closed it. He sat in front while Nami positioned herself in the middle of the backseat, so that she could have a good view of the two violinists.

She couldn't help teasing Kahoko a little.

"So, do you really pick Len up from the airport every time he's in Japan?" she asked slyly.

"_Iie_… it's not like that! When I heard that Tsukimori-kun was coming, I offered to pick him up because I wanted to show him my car…"

"Is that so? Well then, perhaps you can teach Len how to drive while he's here! What do you say Len?!"

_There she goes, interfering again! How irritating! _

Kahoko was looking at him with a surprised look. "I didn't know you wanted to learn driving Tsukimori-kun," she began "but I'll be really glad to help you… in exchange for all the violin lessons you gave me years ago."

"That's okay…" he said quietly.

If it wasn't for Hino's enthusiasm he would just have ignored Nami's taunts.

* * *

As she drove, Kahoko asked lots of questions, especially to Nami. They had not seen each other much recently, since Nami worked in Tokyo for a year and had then taken a holiday abroad. "So you're not going back to work in Tokyo?" she asked.

"No, I miss this old town too much, so I'll be on the look-out for a job here! Oh, by the way, how long are you here for, Len?"

Kahoko smiled: "Tsukimori-kun doesn't usually stay for more than two weeks when he comes home!"

"… I might stay longer…"

_He's trying to sound casual, but it's suspicious! Is he planning to confess and ask Kahoko to marry him? And she looked so happy when he said it… Or maybe I'm getting carried away!_

She noticed some classical music magazines and score sheets lying on the backseat.

"How's your violin Kaho?"

"Ah… it's still the most irreplaceable thing for me... I did tell you about the amateur orchestra I joined last year, didn't I? Well, I'm having so much fun! We currently meet twice a week to practise and we plan to have a series of concerts at Christmas. I really hope it will be successful."

Nami could feel Kahoko's excitement and she could also tell from the way Len was looking at her that he was really happy for her. Kahoko might not have become a professional violinist like him, but there was no doubt that her enjoyment of music was genuine, and she also inspired many other people to discover and appreciate music along with her.

"Len, you'll have to be here for Kahoko's concerts this Christmas!"

Nami leaned forward excitedly, placing an elbow on each front seat.

He hesitated. Two pairs of eyes were on him.

"I'll try…"

"_Arigato_ Tsukimori-kun, I know you have a busy schedule!"

* * *

They had reached Nami's house. Kahoko stopped the car and got out to open the boot. Nami retrieved her things then gave Kahoko another bear hug. "Thanks for the lift Kaho, I'll be in touch."

"See you around Len! Have fun! ^­-^"

"… ­~_~ … "

She watched them drive off and sighed in uncharacteristic fashion.

Somehow, she felt a little wistful… a little… _blue_. She couldn't understand why.

Was she envious of Kahoko's and Len's relationship? She frowned. _Nah, it's probably jetlag, that's all!_

In any case, Nami Amou never stayed down for very long. The world was too interesting, right?!

She rolled her luggage towards her house.

"_I guess I'll give them some privacy for a while… One week should be enough…"_

_

* * *

_

Kahoko smiled at him.

"Did you two get along during the flight?"

He frowned.

"Not exactly… She's so fast, it's annoying. And she'll willfully set everyone up for trouble… I'm amazed that you can be friends with her."

"I sort of see what you mean… she does have a quick tempo! She usually can't stand things to be slow and boring… and when she feels this irresistible urge to liven things up, who knows what may happen!" She laughed. "_Demo_… she's a loyal friend… like you."

He looked at her and felt grateful that Kahoko's rhythm was slow and steady. And if she did sometimes get others into trouble, it was never on purpose. That's why he trusted her and could relax around her.

"In any case, I always thought that you could handle any kind of rhythm, Tsukimori-kun, especially a fast one... I can never play Caprice No. 24 like you do!" she continued cheerfully.

Len was surprised.

"…But you play Cannon better than me…"

She blushed a little but smiled at his praise.

He looked out at the familiar scenery outside the window. They would soon reach the Tsukimori residence.

"How's Ousaki senpai?"

Her face brightened.

"He's out of town this week, working on some background music for a famous theatre group. In fact, he asked me to take over some of his philanthropic activities until he comes back and I have to teach a violin class for eight to ten-year-olds on Saturday. _Ano_… would you like to help me? The kids would love it, plus it would be a chance for us to play together… after all, I can't invite you to join me for a duet in the park now, you're too famous!"

He frowned, remembering Nami's attempt to raise his profile at the airport.

"Hino, I'm not too famous…"

She only laughed but he didn't mind.

* * *

_To be continued (end of October)  
_


	4. Chapter 4

**Act I****V: Lesson time**

**

* * *

**

Saturday came rather quickly, Len thought. He was currently surrounded by half a dozen eager-faced ten-year-olds, as he demonstrated how a particular part of the piece they were learning was to be played on the violin. These kids were very responsive though, and he was glad that he agreed to help tutor them.

He looked at the other side of the room where Kahoko was teaching the younger kids. She was good at interacting with them, and they in turn seemed to be really attached to her. No doubt it was because she came very often…

Towards the end of the lesson, Kahoko asked him to join her in playing a few pieces for the kids. He obliged willingly and everyone listened on in wonder. Some had their eyes closed and their heads moved slowly in time with the music.

As one song came to an end, Kahoko smiled at Len.

"What do you want to play next?" she asked.

"…Is Ave Maria still your favourite?"

"Always…"

"We love Ave Maria too!" one of the older girls said. The others nodded excitedly.

In fact they couldn't restrain themselves when they heard the opening bars of the music flowing from Len and Kahoko's violins. Those who knew the song picked up their instruments and, magically, the duo turned into a violin ensemble.

Len realised, as he moved his bow smoothly across the strings, that playing Ave Maria with Kahoko always had a freshness and spontaneity that he would probably not find even if he played with the world's best orchestras.

Everybody clapped after the last note. The younger ones had stars in their eyes; they wanted to learn this piece too…

While the boys asked Len questions about his career and how to become a great violinist, the girls were busy arguing amongst themselves whether "Tsukimori sensei was more handsome than Ousaki sensei". Actually it was a close call, but Len never found out that Ousaki only beat him by a smile…

Afterwards it was time to pack up. Kahoko locked the door of the hired practice room when the last child left. She couldn't help noticing Len's thoughtful expression as they made their way to her car.

"These children are so carefree, so unhurried… but they will do well… they are in good hands," he stated.

"Yes…"

_He looks distant again; perhaps he's thinking of his own childhood, of how different he was from these kids. In fact, his seriousness and self-discipline were very __pronounced from a very young age, his mother told me. Still, it's never too late to have fun…_

"Tsukimori-kun, I'm really looking forward to the charity dinner and dance your parents are helping to organise next week. What about you?"

"Not really…" he answered laconically.

"Eh?? Why not? Aren't you willing to dance for a good cause?" she scolded. "Plus I think you're a very good dancer, Tsukimori-kun!"

"Thanks… but…"

"Oh, could it be that you're worried about finding a dance partner? I can imagine you wouldn't want to dance with someone you hardly know…"

"so… so how about asking someone like… _someone like Nami_!" she added in a flash of inspiration.

"Amou-san??!"

"Ah, I know what you think, but she's not so bad Tsukimori-kun! Also, I thought the two of you really stood out when I saw you at the airport…"

At this point she couldn't stifle her laughter anymore.

Len got into his seat and shut the door impatiently.

"Hino… can we just start this driving lesson now?"

"_Hai! Hai!_... I'm sorry Tsukimori-kun, I was only trying to help… But think about it, will you?!"

* * *

Think about it he did… for forty-eight hours.

Len sighed as he opened the telephone directory and searched for the Amous' residence.

He had to remind himself why he was doing this. Yes, it was because his parents expected him to attend, and he didn't want to stand out by being anti-social and not dancing. The other alternative would be to ask unknown guests to dance with him, in which case he would probably find himself answering the same questions about his career and his time in Vienna all night long. He winced at the thought.

At least with Nami, he wouldn't have to force himself to be polite.

A clear voice answered his call.

"_Moshi moshi?"_

"Hi, it's Len…"

"Oh, Len…what a surprise! For you to call at this hour… I hope you've got big news! When's the wedding?"

_Wedding?_

He cleared his throat.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Amou-san… I called to see if you wanted to attend a charity dinner and dance event in favour of the Children's hospital and…"

She cut him off excitedly.

"Sure, I heard about it, your mother is one of the organisers isn't she? In fact, I had been thinking of introducing myself to her and offering my services as a freelance journalist and photographer to cover the event!"

Len scowled.

"That won't be necessary Amou-san; I believe that media coverage of the event has already been arranged…"

"Oh…" She sounded genuinely disappointed.

"But you can come as a guest… if you want."

"Alright, thanks Len, I will."

It suddenly hit her.

"Hey, why are you asking me? How about Kahoko?"

"…She… She'll be there too…"

"I see…"

A few seconds later Len put down the phone and frowned. He was beginning to have second thoughts about inviting Nami, plus why was she asking about a wedding earlier?

* * *

_To be continued_

**Author's note:**

_This story first came to me complete with a dancing finale. I'm afraid it's not very original, but it's topical due to the manga plotline… so, if you've come this far, please bear with me to the end, as the story has a will of its own and refused to let itself be written any other way._


	5. Chapter 5

**Act V: ****Not much of a dancer**

**

* * *

**

On the evening of the dance, Len waited for her near one of the imposing pillars at the entrance to the Blue Pearl Hotel where the event was being held.

She had told him she would come in a taxi.

Len looked at his watch: it was seven o'clock, and many people had started arriving. It was a warm evening so he didn't mind staying outside actually. He could even make out a few bright stars in the sky.

Suddenly, a car stopped in front of the steps and another bright star came into view...

Wearing a knee-length short-sleeved dress of a very attractive burgundy colour, with matching square-heeled sandals and hair clip, she looked…

_Effortlessly cool__…_

"Hi there! Nice venue, isn't it?" she commented cheerfully as she climbed the steps towards him.

Len seemed in a daze and didn't reply. At that instant, he couldn't help but wonder if guys had fallen for Miss Goldilocks in the past, only to find that they couldn't cope with her overconfidence, her wit, her speed and…

"Len, aren't we going in?" she said looking at him with curiosity.

"Yes, I'm sorry…"

The hotel's grand hall was tastefully decorated with flowers and gilded mirrors. The major part of it was reserved for dancing but there was sufficient space at the back where the organisers had decided to position the small round tables that could accommodate four or five people each.

As Len and Nami passed by, many of the guests who recognised him or who were acquainted with his parents stopped them to have a chat. Nami didn't seem to mind... Actually she hugely enjoyed talking to people, he remembered. It's not that he didn't like people himself, it's just that socialising was never Len's _forte_, and probably never would be…

He glanced to his right and saw an even larger group of guests, surrounding his mother. She noticed him and smiled in his direction. It was only natural that she would want to be introduced to Nami, he thought, but then… the latter would probably go into hyper-journalistic mode and who knew where that might lead.

Len took a deep breath and caught hold of Nami's arm.

"Do you want to dance?"

She looked at him with a dubious expression.

"Dance? Well, okay… I guess it's fine until Kaho arrives…"

They made their way to the dance floor where a number of couples were already moving gracefully to the gentle music.

She put her hand on his shoulder as a new song began.

"Isn't this Blue Danube?"

"Yes."

"Then this shouldn't be too hard… I hope!" she quipped cheerfully.

As Len led the dance he noticed that she kept her eyes on the floor, watching his feet and trying to synchronise her own movements… with only moderate success however, especially when the music picked up pace.

She raised her head suddenly.

"Hey, you're surprisingly good at this!" she exclaimed.

He would have accepted the compliment if it wasn't for…

"_Surprisingly_?" he repeated.

"Well, for someone who's never liked socialising and prefers to focus entirely on practicing his violin…" she explained.

Of course it was the truth but part of him was annoyed.

"How about you? Why are you _surprisingly poor_ at this in spite of your superior social skills?" he asked rather coldly.

For a moment, she was taken aback.

"I… I guess it's because I don't usually dance at parties; I'm too busy taking pictures or interviewing people…"

"But I may as well take this opportunity to improve, right?" she added as she flashed a smile at him.

Len's gaze softened.

"Yes, it just takes practice…" he replied more kindly.

They stayed on the dance floor for what seemed like a long time. Nami felt that she was getting the hang of it and often laughed as they waltzed from one part of the room to another. Len's parents watched them from a distance and smiled at each other.

* * *

"That was fun" she stated as they sat down at a table and were brought some refreshments by one of the waiters in attendance.

She gratefully leaned back in her chair and enjoyed the cool drink in her hands.

Len had taken off his blue-grey jacket and gazed towards the entrance to the hall with a rather vacant look as he drank. She observed him thoughtfully.

_  
Time to draw some confessions out of him! _

"Len?"

Her voice startled him out of his reverie.

She placed her elbows on the table and her chin on her hands.

"Why did you lie to me about Kahoko?"

"What do you mean?"

"On the plane, you said that you didn't miss her. But, in fact, the two of you are really close. No, don't try to deny it; I know that the overwhelming power of the Violin Romance is at work!" she explained, all the while smiling slyly.

Len's eyes widened. _Violin Romance?_

"I'm afraid you're mistaken, Amou-san. Hino and I are just friends… The reason I said I didn't miss her was because we always kept in touch. I wanted to follow her progress with the violin…"

She narrowed her eyes.

_Is he genuine or not. His voice sounds so, but his cheeks are suspiciously pink._

"But she came to pick you up!" she insisted.

"Isn't that what friends do?'

"Well… it may have seemed like a friendly reunion, but I'm sure you were restraining yourselves because of my presence, right?!"

"Amou-san, I don't have to argue with you." He said with a sigh.

She frowned.

"You really mean to say that you're not in love and there is no violin romance??"

His eyes looked at hers steadily.

She fell back onto her chair.

"Could the legend be untrue?" she spoke almost to herself but he heard her.

"…Actually, there might be something in it…"

"Huh?"

He was looking towards the entrance again. Nami turned her head to follow his gaze.

She blinked; did she just see a red-headed figure somewhere? No, two red-headed figures!

She got up, grabbed Len's arm and started walking swiftly through the crowd.

------------------------------------------------------

Kahoko noticed them arriving and pointed them out to her partner.

"Ah, Tsukimori-san, Amou-san, it's nice to see you again!" he greeted cheerfully.

"Ousaki-senpai…"

Nami's face showed that she was totally mystified, while Len merely looked a bit annoyed at the manner in which he was dragged. He bowed to his fellow violinist.

Nami recovered enough to smile weakly at the couple.

"I'm surprised you recognised me Senpai…"

"Of course, you were in the journalism club, weren't you? And you became friends with Kahoko during the time of the concours."

"That's right!"

-----------------------------------------------------

When Len and Ousaki started a conversation on their respective careers, she seized the opportunity to talk to Kahoko in private.

The latter knew what was coming: an interrogation!

"So… he calls you Kahoko now… are you two dating?"

"Nami, I'm sorry to have kept it from you but it's only been official for a month now…"

"Okay, I'll forgive you… but I was so confident that you and Len were in love that I started to fantasize about covering the wedding, you know." She made a face while Kahoko smiled. She could easily imagine the kind of headlines Nami had in mind.

"I'm sorry about that… and as for Tsukimori-kun… he… he is one of the best friends I could ever hope to have. I only wish that he was as happy as I am…"

* * *

Much later that evening, Len and Nami danced together again. Her blue eyes twinkled as she watched Kahoko and Ousaki who were also on the dance floor. The four of them had actually had a good time as they shared a table for dinner, and talked about Seiso and their plans for the future.

Now she started thinking that Kahoko and Ousaki's wedding might be just as interesting to cover. Ousaki was so kind that he would probably allow her to be the official photographer, whereas Len… Would Len even have invited her? Maybe...

"You knew about them, didn't you?" she asked.

"She told me…"

"Well, I guess it really was my mistake… but at least, I did learn a few things about you… For instance, you never lie, you can keep a secret, and… you're a surprisingly good dancer!"

"…"

"Hey, at this point you're supposed to say _'you're not so bad either_…_' _you know!"

"You just said I never lie, Amou-san!"

She huffed.

He looked at her thoughtfully.

"Can I ask why you're friends with Hino? You don't seem to have many things in common."

"Who said I wasn't interested in music?" she countered.

"But if you really want to know… it's probably because she sees some good in us that we don't always see ourselves… or others for that matter…" she smiled and looked at Kahoko who waved back.

* * *

The event finally came to an end and guests started leaving. Kahoko and Ousaki bid a cheerful goodbye to their friends at the entrance of the Blue Pearl. Nami called for her taxi and Len waited politely with her. He stood in the shadow of a pillar leaning slightly against it, his arms crossed, watching the play of lights on her wavy hair.

"Aren't they sweet together?" she sighed.

"Amou, are you in a relationship at the moment?"

"Eh? Why do you ask?" _And did he just drop the 'san' from my name?_

"It's just that you seem to have a lot of time to worry about other people's romances… Is it because you don't have your own?"

She tried to read his expression but failed because of the semi-darkness that surrounded him.

Turning her head away, she retorted haughtily:

"I'm afraid you don't stand a chance, Tsukimori Len, so why be curious?"

Len somehow managed to disguise a laugh into a cough.

"Is that so?" he replied "I thought we looked rather cool together…"

She turned around.

"By the way, if you're still looking for a job, I might need a PRO when I go to Osaka…"

If only they didn't involve her, she would have considered each of his incredible statements as a scoop. Yet, right now, this smooth-talking Len was making her feel nervous and her face grew red.

"_Ano_… how about… how about asking Kahoko and Ousaki to join us, huh? The more the merrier…" she answered trying not to sound as flustered as she felt.

"Sure."

Her taxi had arrived. "I guess I'll be going then, _ja ne_…"

Len watched the car disappear into the night.

She didn't take him seriously now, did she? If she did, that would be… interesting?!

Wait, what was he getting himself into? And he used to run away from that girl!

_Things do change, huh?_

He sighed, but there was the faintest trace of a smile on his lips as he went to find his parents who were still inside the hall.

* * *

When he reached home that night, he felt his phone buzzing in his coat pocket. One new message…

"Hey, thank your parents again for inviting us, it was lovely! Did you have fun? Hino."

"At times…" was what he texted back.

" I see :) _Gambatte_ Tsukimori-kun!!"

"Whatever… goodnight Hino."

* * *

Kahoko switched off her phone.

"Goodnight Tsukimori-kun!" she said out loud as she got into bed and snuggled under the covers.

_Tsukimori-kun and Nami... Well, I guess it's just as unexpected as Ousaki-senpai and I!_

_Things do change, huh…_ She smiled. How she loved the world right now!

* * *

**_The end_**

_Author's note: I hope I didn't alienate too many Len-Kaho fans with this story... In any case I'm sure they'll be dancing together in chapter 63 or 64 of the manga :) Isn't that something to look forward to!?  
_


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